News
Again, Appeal Court Dismisses Suit Seeking Timipre Sylva’s Exclusion From Bayelsa Guber Poll
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has finally cleared the coast for former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva to participate in this Saturday’s governorship election in Bayelsa State.
The appellate court on Friday dismissed the last of the chains of suits seeking the exclusion of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the gubernatorial poll.
Delivering judgment in an appeal instituted against Sylva and two others by one Hon Isikima Ogbomade Johnson, Justice Binta Zubar held that the suit was not only unjustifiable but brought in bad faith by the appellant against the respondents.
The Court agreed with Chief James Ogwu Onoja, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), that the allegations of taking the oath of governorship office twice being held against Sylva cannot stand in the face of law because competent courts had invalidated the first one.
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In the appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/1052/2023, Justices Zubar also dismissed the allegations against APC that its April 14, 2023, primary election, which produced Sylva as flagbearer, was done in contravention of provisions of the law.
The unanimous judgment agreed with Onoja’s arguments that the overwhelming evidence adduced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and APC pointed to the fact that all legal steps were taken in the conduct of the primary election.
Onoja SAN had, in his brief on behalf of Sylva, narrated how APC adopted direct primary as the mode of electing the governorship candidate and how a 5-man Electoral Committee on April 14 conducted the election in 106 Wards of the eight local government areas of Bayelsa.
The senior lawyer also listed how Sylva, with 52,062 votes, came first, while the appellant came fourth with 584 votes behind Joshua Maciver with 2,078 votes, David Perewomini Lyon with 1,584 votes, Ongoebi Etebu with 1,277 votes while Daumiebi Festus Sunday came last with 557 votes.
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The Appeal Court said with the undisputed evidence coupled with the monitoring report of INEC as a statutory body, the allegations by the appellant that Sylva emerged without a primary election has no foundation.
“From the uncontroverted independent report of INEC, it was clear beyond any doubt that a valid primary election was conducted by APC and monitored by the electoral umpire as required by law.
Justice Zubar also held that the appellant’s case was statute barred having been instituted outside the 14 days allowed by law as a pre-election matter.
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In totality, the Court of Appeal upheld the judgment of a Federal High Court in Abuja delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo which on September 26 dismissed the suit for want of merit and substance.
Johnson had, by an originating summons, dragged APC, INEC and Sylva before the Federal High Court, praying for an order to disqualify him from being allowed to participate in the coming November governorship election in Bayelsa State.
She had predicated her grouse against Sylvia on two grounds – that Sylva had been elected into governorship office twice and took the oath of office and oath of allegiance twice and that the April 14 primary election that produced Sylva was illegal and unlawful, having been allegedly done in contravention with APC’s guidelines.
The High Court, however, dismissed the suit while the Court of Appeal affirmed its dismissal.
News
Israeli Mission To Bolster Wellbeing Of Orphans In Nigeria
The Israeli Embassy in Nigeria has promised to bolster the wellbeing of orphans in Nigeria.
Deputy Chief of Mission of the embassy, Inbar Garden stated this in Abuja while donating food items to the Hope for Survival Orphanage, Gishsiri community, Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
She said aside helping to promote collaboration between Nigeria and Israel, the mission is committed to supporting the wellbeing of the orphans.
Garden said, “We just want to ensure the orphans have a better future and not taken for granted.
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“It takes a person with a giant heart to give themselves to the society and make other peoples life matter.
“I urge you, children at the Orphanage to be focused on your future, because you are not going to stay in this place forever.
“Just dream big and say it loud, and go get your dreams fulfilled.”
Also,the Proprietress of the orphanage, Ruth Ibrahim, thanked the embassy for the kind gesture,
According to her, even for you to come here is not easy due to the deplorable road to the orphanage.
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“We thank God for the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike’s intervention, the road was so bad, at least he has repaired it, such that we can easily come into the orphanage as against before.
“God bless and enrich you for putting smiles on our faces, this is good, because we have never seen such a large cooking of meal like this in our orphanage,” Ibrahim said.
She decried lack of access to medical services and paucity of funds toward the construction of fence around the orphanage, to be major challenges they faced.
The orphanage have 67 children, with two having graduated from university and eight of them are currently in SS3, preparing for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) exam.
The highpoint of the event is a treat for the children at the orphanage to a buffet by the Israeli deputy chief of mission.
News
Isokpan Sworn In As Egor LG Vice Chairman, Pledges Loyalty to Okpebholo’s SHINE Agenda
The Egor Local Government Council Secretariat was abuzz on Monday as Hon. Kenny Isokpan was officially sworn in as the Vice-Chairman of the Council, in a colourful ceremony attended by party leaders, stakeholders, and community groups.
The event drew a large gathering, including the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Deputy Governor, Hon. Plus Alile, alongside other prominent political figures.
In his address, the Acting Chairman of the council, Hon. Osaro Eribo, described Isokpan as a vibrant and energetic youth whose emergence heralded renewed vigour in the Council’s leadership.
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He expressed confidence that the new Vice-Chairman would work closely with him to advance Governor Monday Okpebholo’s SHINE Agenda at the grassroots level.
Shortly after assuming office, Isokpan lauded Okpebholo for his developmental strides across the state and for providing him the platform to serve.
He pledged unwavering loyalty to the governor, the party leadership, and Eribo, vowing to contribute his quota towards repositioning Egor in line with the progressive vision of the administration.
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The new Vice-Chairman also expressed gratitude to the State Chairman of the APC, Emperor Jarrett Tenebe, for his steadfast leadership, and commended party leaders at the state, local government, and ward levels for their support.
He gave special recognition to a prominent Egor leader, Hon. Osahon Airhunmwunde, for standing by him during his most challenging moments.
Isokpan further acknowledged the solidarity of the Red Cross Society and the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), stressing that their support reflected broad-based confidence in the ruling party’s grassroots agenda.
News
Dangote Group Agrees To redeploy Workers Sacked By Refinery
After a peace meeting, the Dangote Group has agreed to redeploy the workers sacked by its subsidiary, Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The resolution was announced on Wednesday by the ministry of labour and employment in a statement on the outcome of the reconciliation meetings held on Monday and Tuesday.
Aliko Dangote, founder of Dangote Group, and representatives of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) met on Tuesday with Wale Edun, the minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, and Mohammed Dingyadi, minister of labour and employment to resolve the labour dispute.
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Disclosing other agreements reached during the meeting, the ministry said the parties agreed that the disengaged workers will be absorbed by other subsidiaries in Dangote Group without loss of pay.
“The Honourable Minister of Labour informed the meeting that unionisation is a right of workers in accordance with the laws of Nigeria and that this right should be respected,” the ministry said
“After examining the procedure used in the disengagement of workers, the meeting agreed that the management of Dangote Group shall immediately start the process of taking the disengaged staff to other companies within the Dangote Group, with no loss of pay.
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“No worker will be victimised arising from their role in the impasse between Dangote and PENGASSAN.
“PENGASSAN agreed to start the process of calling off the strike.
“Both parties agreed to this understanding in good faith.”
On September 26, PENGASSAN instructed its members to embark on a nationwide strike over the dismissal of workers by Dangote refinery.
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